Mis-directions
In Why We Make Mistakes , I have a little fun pointing out how often people fail to follow the instructions that come with a variety of products, from nail guns to car seats. But if you want an even scarier example, check out today's story in The Wall Street Journal on drug labeling.
Drug labels are notoriously hard to read -- and often confusing for those who do read them. Not surprisingly, as many as three in four Americans say they don't take prescription medicine as directed. And in recent studies, more than half of adults misunderstood one or more common prescription warnings and precautions.
Often, this leads to a trip to the hospital. Nearly 1.9 million people were treated in hospitals for illnesses and injuries from taking medicines -- a 52% increase from 2004 to 2008.
One cure for confusion, of course, is simplicity. And one study shows -- what a shock! -- that patients better understood simple, explicit language. For example, "use only on your skin" is better understood than "for external use only."
So before you grab that bottle of pills, take some time to check the label.
Drug labels are notoriously hard to read -- and often confusing for those who do read them. Not surprisingly, as many as three in four Americans say they don't take prescription medicine as directed. And in recent studies, more than half of adults misunderstood one or more common prescription warnings and precautions.
Often, this leads to a trip to the hospital. Nearly 1.9 million people were treated in hospitals for illnesses and injuries from taking medicines -- a 52% increase from 2004 to 2008.
One cure for confusion, of course, is simplicity. And one study shows -- what a shock! -- that patients better understood simple, explicit language. For example, "use only on your skin" is better understood than "for external use only."
So before you grab that bottle of pills, take some time to check the label.
Labels: directions, drug labels, instructions
posted by Joe Hallinan at
9:47 AM
2 Comments:
I read a really good book called, Glimmer: How Design Can Transform Your Life and Maybe Even the World by Warren Berger and Bruce Mau that was about designing things that solve problems and making them so that their use was elegant and intuitive.
They had a great look at a designer named Deborah Adler who's working on just this sort of thing. She started working with medicine packaging after her grandmother took her grandfather's medication by accident. You can check her website here (http://www.deborahadlerdesign.com/casestudy/) Both case studies are REALLY fascinating.
If we have come to the point in society that we have to clarify "use on your skin" instead of "external use only", we deserve the consequences of our actions. The Dumbing Down of America is strong and in full swing.
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